NHER 12598 (Building record) - Tudor Rose Restaurant, 10 and 11 St Nicholas' Street

1963-1970 (at some time). Building survey.
St Nicholas' House is a double-pile building erected in 1645. The northern range has at its eastern end a curvilinear Dutch gable dated 1645, while the southern one is a 19th century rebuilding. This appears to have been one of the earliest attempts to design a house which sat at the front of the plot (the only earlier known being at Greenland Fishery (NHER 5482)).
The gallery linking No. 11 to St Nicholas House was probably built in the early 17th century when these two houses were joined together. This is the only remaining such gallery in King's Lynn.
Significantly the main entrance to the house was in the centre of the inner northern range, off a lane from St Nicholas' Chapel to the waterfront, suggesting that access to the waterfront was still important at the time of building.
See (S1) for further information, plan and elevation drawings.
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 23 July 2019.

July 1977. Site visit.
No. 10 on Ordnance Survey, but No. 11 on house.
This has a good 15th century panelled wooden door (but does it belong?) between Tuscan stone columns. The upper part of the house is jettied, timber framed with brick nogging but all the material is new.
The style is that of the late 16th/early 17th centuries, but it is listed as 15th century. The restoration makes a precise dating unwise.
E. Rose (NAU), 6 July 1977.

1993 revised listing (S1) includes both Numbers 10 and 11. Confirms Number 10 is 15th century timber framed; east house given as 16th century, linked to Number 10 by 17th century internal gallery; rebuilt in brick 1645, south pile rebuilt 18th century, all much restored in 1973. The 15th century stone doorway is stated to have Perpendicular tracery of a type first seen in churches in 1345. The timber framed gallery is the last to survive in Lynn. Number 10 noted as having crownpost roof on arch braced ties; layout of screen still visible; hollow moulded beams and inserted 16th century stack. Number 11 has ovolo moulded beams with jewel stops.
See listing (Grade II*) (S2) for full details. Building report (S3), architect's plans (S4), correspondence (S5) and extract from (S6) in file.
E. Rose, 11 March 1999.

April 2002. Site visit.
Site visited at request of landlord to investigate why there is a glass trap door in the floor of the front bar of number 10 (the room crossed by the rollmoulded beam). The trap gives access to a 1m high space containing small barrels. The floor of the room above is of iron and concrete; the supporting walls are of 20th century brick. This is clearly part of the alterations of about 1980 to raise the bar floor.
E. Rose (NLA), 1 May 2002.

December 2003. Detailed building survey.
No. 10 is jettied and appears to be a 15th century hall and street block, the former raised in height and floored in about 1500, windows upgraded in about 1600 at which time façade remodelled. There is much reused limestone in this part of the building, which might normally be taken to indicate a post-Dissolution date, but comparatively few fragments appear to be carved. At ground floor level within the street block is a massive moulded beam that would fit a 15th or early 16th century date. At first floor level is a remarkable crownpost roof which is thought to be late medieval. There is a fireplace against the east wall with roll-moulded bressumer and jambs, again fitting a date aound 1500. The rear wing of No. 10 was continued by St Ann's House (NHR 13905), demolished in the early 20th century.
The main question raised by this survey is whethert the rear hall of No. 10 was originally a medieval open hall, or whether it has always been two storeys.
Gallery runs to number 11, dated 1745, refaced 18th century. Later alterations.
No. 11 has been described in (S2) as being of the 16th century, rebuilt in 1645. However, this survey revealed nothing at No. 11 that suggested a 16th century origin for this part of the building.
See detailed reports (S3) and (S7) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 20 December 2003.

(S8) gives a detailed analysis of the relationship between this building and Tudor Rose House (NHER 12598). Documentary sources indicate that the two buildings were in single ownership at least by the late 17th century and details of a sale from 1697 describe a tenement with brewhouse, millhouse, malting office, stables, chambers, cellars and warehouses.
See also (S9).
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 24 July 2019.